eDNA is a molecular conservation tech tool that can be used to detect species presence in samples taken directly from the environment. To date, eDNA has been used for species detection, biomass estimation, diet analysis, reconstruction of past flora and fauna, and wildlife disease detection. Still a relatively new area of conservation tech, eDNA is in a phase of rapid innovation and growth, with improved ease of use and more accessibility allowing this technology to find new uses in the field and lab.

Used to pick up signals from tracking gear on the ground, collect images of wildlife and habitats from the air, gather acoustic data with specialized hydrophones, or even collect snot samples from whales' blowholes, drones are capable of collecting high-resolution data quickly, noninvasively, and at relatively low cost.

Footprints are everywhere, and are perhaps the most overlooked source of data on the planet.  WildTrack's Footprint Identification Technique (FIT) can identify species, individuals, sex and age-class to a high level of accuracy from simple images of footprints taken to a standardized protocol. This technique has the benefit of being non-invasive, cost-effective and draws on the strengths of community-skills such as tracking and observation. Our WildTrackFIT community is composed of users in >20 countries and we have FIT species algorithms developed for a range of species from big cats to Pachyderms, bears, mustelids, and even small mammals.If you see footprints as part of your fieldwork, or in another capacity, we'd love to hear from you!

Welcome to the official group forum for our virtual course, Build Your Own Data Logger. This is your space to engage with course instructors Akiba and Jacinta from Freaklabs, find help and resources for each module, collaborate and chat with your fellow course participants, and share your progress on your own Data Logger project!